Staff

Leslie Karsten, Administrative Assistant

A stay-at-home mom for eighteen years, I had the joy of homeschooling our two kids, who are now both in college. My husband and I love small-scale farming and gardening. We raise chickens for eggs (eighteen chickens). We also have one duck and three small dogs.

In the past, I wrote two devotional books. I know what a gift it is to work at Faith Lutheran Church. That my faith can be a central part of my work life is an incredible opportunity that many don’t receive. That faith bond and the mission of Jesus Christ are rooted in the staff here, and it helps keep us productive while also having fun.

Jess Luiz, Praise Band Vocalist

Jess Luiz, vocalist with Faith Lutheran’s Praise Band since 2015, took on the leadership role of Music and Worship Coordinator in 2022. She is a graduate of Northern Michigan University, with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Sociology.

In addition to her work at Faith, Jess is a theater teaching artist, performer, and costume designer for many local community and college programs. She enjoys getting to share her time at Faith with her husband and two daughters.

Gene Gibson, Custodian

Gene began work at Faith in 2010. He retired from Steelcase in 2009 after working there for 24 years. He grew up in Baldwin and now lives in Rockford with his wife, Pam. Gene and Pam have one son who also lives in Rockford. Gene enjoys car shows, where he proudly shows off his 1973 Mustang Mach 1.

Matt Paniwozik, Office Manager

Matt graduated from the Kent intermediate School District’s Empower U program in 2005. He began volunteering at Faith soon after. Among his duties, he is responsible for preparing the worship bulletins on Thursday morning each week for both the 8:30 am Traditional worship service and the 10 am Casual service, stuffing inserts as needed. He is a friendly and valuable asset to the Faith office staff. He also volunteers at Northfield Lanes on Plainfield Avenue on Monday and Friday. Matt is from Ludington and now lives in Grand Rapids.